


The Anniversary

by Hours_Gone_By



Series: The Adventures of Student!Jazz and Wizard!Prowl [9]
Category: Transformers – Aligned Continuity Family, Transformers – All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe – Wizards, Anniversary, Cohabitation, Enthusiastic Consent, Established Relationship, Explicit Consent, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Magic, Magical Tattoos, Memories, Romantic Fluff, Spark Sexual Interfacing, Transformers Plug and Play Sexual Interfacing, Travel, celebration, relationship discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:55:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hours_Gone_By/pseuds/Hours_Gone_By
Summary: Just one stellar-cycle ago, Jazz's life changed in ways he couldn't have imagined when he took what should've been a simple house-sitting gig. Now, it's time to celebrate that change – but first, Prowl has something he needs to do.
Relationships: Jazz/Prowl
Series: The Adventures of Student!Jazz and Wizard!Prowl [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1220048
Comments: 16
Kudos: 52





	The Anniversary

Prowl and Jazz had met when Jazz had been housesitting a remote mansion that housed a supernatural creature called a wight that had been feeding on Jazz's dreams. The wight had been the last of the creatures preying on Cybertronians, and Prowl, whose life had been dedicated to hunting such things, had banished it. Jazz would never have thought a simple housesitting gig could change his life so much. He'd gone from being a single mech living in a dorm to living in a house with his amazing and gorgeous lover, the wizard Prowl, who generally stayed home while Jazz went to class. Well, while Jazz had been going to class – he was done for the year but had picked up a pretty regular gig at a club downtown, one where the mech who ran it had connections in the business. It wasn't like his last summer job, but Jazz was pretty sure nothing was going to hunt and eat him while he played electro-bass at a nightclub. Pretty sure, anyway. It didn't feel like anything was going to do that, anyway, and Jazz had a pretty good sense for weird stuff like cursed objects and poltergeists. That sense had been getting stronger since he'd started hanging out with Prowl and all the weird stuff the wizard seemed to find. Jazz wouldn't be a magic-user, didn't have the right kind of spark or something, but he had some kind of sensitivity to supernatural stuff. Prowl had been teaching him to use it better, modifying some of the stuff apprentice wizards learned even if it wasn't for quite the same thing.

Prowl had started to branch out a little more lately, socially, which Jazz thought was a good thing. Sometimes the wizard explored Altihex, but more often, he helped a friend of one of Jazz's friends, named Glyph, with her work on ancient languages. Today, though, Prowl was home in his workshop when Jazz got back from that day's rehearsal. Jazz headed down there right away, hoping for a welcome-home kiss, at the very least. The door was open, but he knocked anyway and waited for Prowl to look up and give him the okay.

Prowl glanced up from the tablet he held and smiled warmly at Jazz. "Hello, dearest. Come in, please."

Jazz went in as bidden, not like he'd ever turn an invite from Prowl down, and claimed his kiss. Prowl put his arms around Jazz's waist after and rested his head on Jazz's chest, right over his spark, a spot he'd been paying a lot of thoughtful attention to lately. Jazz nuzzled Prowl's helm affectionately, dropped a kiss between the prongs of his chevron.

"You seem distracted, lover." He'd gotten good at reading Prowl. All the time they spent in each other's systems didn't hurt, he was sure. "Something on your mind?"

"Yes," Prowl kept his arms around Jazz's waist and leaned back to look up at him. "Since we spoke of my master, in fact."

Jazz's mentor, Half-step, had come to visit recently, and it had made Prowl nostalgic for his own mentor. Prowl's Master and his mentor had been the same mech, a wizard named Venator. Prowl had, for the first time, spoken in-depth to Jazz about his past. How Prowl had come online just _knowing_ magic was there and his mentor, now Master, had been thrilled to learn his protégé was also his apprentice. Prowl and Venator had loved each other like family, just like Jazz and his own mentor, which wasn't something every protégé got. The wizard still carried the rifle that had been his Master's gift to him upon completing his apprenticeship. Prowl had talked about being a young wizard, developing his powers, about Venator teaching him to cook, about everyday life. He had not spoken of Venator's death, though Jazz had a feeling it was due to illness rather than injury. That was rare, but not unheard of. Whatever the cause had been, it had deeply affected Prowl, and tens of thousands of vorn later, he still didn't speak of it.

Jazz nodded slowly. "Okay, so this is about Venator?"

"Yes, at least in part. Dearest, I want to journey back to my old home in Cronum and return here, travelling as I used to. I'm sure you recall that it's been nearly a stellar-cycle since we met, and I banished the wight."

"Yeah, I know." Jazz didn't think this was just about the anniversary of the day they'd met, though. "It's been a hell of a stellar-cycle since then."

"Since my life changed," Prowl agreed, "one phase ending and a new beginning. I would like to make this journey before our first anniversary, but to do that, I would have to leave very soon."

And Jazz had a job now, so he wouldn't be able to go with Prowl, but Prowl didn't want him to feel rejected. Jazz got it. He leaned down and kissed Prowl reassuringly.

"'Step told me once that anniversaries of events can affect people in different ways," Jazz said gently. "Sounds like you need to make a trip to say goodbye."

"Yes." Prowl looked grateful for Jazz's understanding. "I feel this is something I need to do. But…"

"Hey," Jazz said and stroked Prowl's helm. "I won't be upset if you take this trip on your own. I mean, it sounds like something you need to do yourself. Because I know you didn't mean it this way, but it sort of sounds like you're only thinking about asking me 'cause you feel like you have to. You don't, babe. I'm okay staying here if you need to go on your own."

Prowl smiled up at him warmly. "Thank you, my love, for understanding."

Jazz kissed him again. "You're welcome, Prowler. I'm gonna miss you while you're gone, though. Sure couldn't stop thinking of you last time, and we barely knew each other then."

Prowl had stayed for a couple of mega-cycles after banishing the wight, although nothing romantic or sexual had happened between him and Jazz. There had been an attraction, but Jazz had just had his world-view badly shaken, and Prowl had just finished his life's work. There'd been a lot going on, and they'd both kind of agreed, without saying it, that it wasn't a good time to start a relationship. So Prowl had left, and Jazz had finished up the housesitting gig and gone back to Altihex and his next year of uni. Prowl had sent him some antique sheet music, but it had been deca-cycles before Jazz had actually seen the wizard again. In typical Prowl fashion, he hadn't sent word but had just shown up at Jazz's door and asked how he was doing. They hadn't really been apart since, not for any longer than a few nights.

"I had a constant processing thread running, thinking about you as well," Prowl told him. "I did worry that perhaps your interest would fade with time apart."

"Not worrying about that this time around, I hope?" Jazz asked, teasing gently. Prowl knew Jazz loved him.

"No." Prowl stretched up for another kiss – Jazz knew his tells by now – and got it. "Not at all."

"Good," Jazz said and put an arm around Prowl's shoulders again. Prowl shifted a little so that he could rest his head on Jazz's hood again, right over his spark. Given all the attention Prowl had been paying to his chest plates, Jazz was pretty sure there was a particular question coming. Sure he knew what his answer would be, too. "Because I'm not going anywhere, lover."

* * *

Prowl departed for Nova Cronum within two mega-cycles, travelling as he always had, on his own wheels, meaning his journey would take longer than it would if he went by train or some other kind of mass transit. Jazz thought he got it, though: Prowl was ready to say a final goodbye to his former, nomadic life, and part of that was travelling the way he'd used to. He'd done it that way for Ages and had managed just fine on his own, Jazz knew. Didn't mean he didn't worry, though.

Of course, Prowl didn't just get up and leave right after morning fuel. He lingered, saying goodbye to Jazz with loving words and sweet kisses to hold the musician over until his return. Jazz just hoped he'd be okay, even though he knew that was a little silly since Prowl could definitely handle whatever came his way.

"I know you can take care of yourself," Jazz admitted, holding Prowl's hands. "Probably better than anyone else. But I still worry about you being all alone out there on your own."

Prowl smiled one of the smiles he reserved just for Jazz, soft and tender, and stroked the backs of Jazz's fingers with his thumbs. "Venator used to tell me a story about a wizard who couldn't be harmed or killed on his travels because he left his spark at home. So, you see, I will be quite safe."

"I…" Wow, that… Jazz had to stop and reboot his vocalizer. "I love you, Prowl."

"I love you, too." Prowl kissed Jazz, warm and gentle. "I'll return soon, my dearest."

Jazz kissed him back. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

Prowl had often recharged in alt during his travels, but he had taken advantage of hotels and inns whenever possible. Nomadic wizards enjoyed proper beds and washracks just as much as anyone else, after all. The hotel he stopped at that night was generic, a chain that spanned Cybertron and had for an Age. Prowl thought he might have stayed at this specific one at some point, though that was not the sort of data he really bothered to commit to memory. He selected an inexpensive single room, not seeing a need to spend much on a place he would be only for a night. He washed the road dust from himself in the plain wash racks, dried under the blowers, and lay down to rest only to find he could not.

It was not the unfamiliar room that kept him awake, as Prowl was quite used to resting in unfamiliar places, some of which were not designed for habitation. Nor was it the bed, which was perfectly acceptable, if not as comfortable as the one he had in Altihex, which was, after all, a luxury model, if an older one. It was merely that he had become accustomed to Jazz resting next to him, or at least the scent of the other mech's polish lingering on his pillow should his lover be out late. There were no goodnight kisses, no one snuggling into his arms. There was no sound or sense of Jazz's systems, humming quietly along next to his, and the room was too quiet without it.

Prowl opened a comm to Jazz, smiling when his lover answered immediately.

' _Hey, babe!_ ' Jazz sounded delighted, even if they hadn't been apart that long. ' _How's it going, Prowler?_ '

' _Very well,_ ' Prowl answered, pleased to hear Jazz's voice. ' _I stopped to rest for the night and will continue on in the morning. I found myself missing you_.'

' _Yeah, I miss you too. The house seems too big without you._ '

' _Are you having difficulty sleeping?_ '

' _Well, I hadn't tried yet but – you?_ '

' _Yes.'_ Prowl shifted to a more comfortable position. ' _I had not realized it would be so difficult without you._ '

' _Yeah? Anything I can do to help?_ '

' _I'm not sure. I've not experienced this before, missing someone like this._ ' It was true; he'd loved before Jazz, but he'd never loved anyone the same way he loved Jazz.

' _Yeah, me neither._ ' Jazz paused, and Prowl could picture him thinking. ' _Okay, well, if you were here – or if I was there, I guess – what do you do?_ '

Prowl didn't have to think long about that. ' _I lie in your arms with my head on your chest. I listen to your systems and the sound of your spark spinning._ '

' _Sounds good,_ ' Jazz said wistfully. ' _What else?_ '

' _I think about how contented I am and how I can't possibly be happier, and then, you tell me you love me, and I discover I am wrong._ '

_'Aww… You're really making me wish I was there, babe,'_ Jazz said wistfully _. 'Well, sucks that I can't hold you right now, though I'm going to snuggle you for joors when you get home, but…I love you, Prowl._ '

Prowl smiled softly. ' _I love you, too, Jazz_.'

They talked for a while after that and, once he finally shut his optics off, Prowl had no difficulties recharging at all.

* * *

The roads had been improved since the last time Prowl had approached the remains of the Cronum house from Altihex, and he made better time than he had expected. The illusion placed over the entrance to his fallen former home's lower levels was still intact, and Prowl passed through it. It was twilight outside, and he could have found another hotel for the night, but there were also places to rest here. Prowl did not come here often, but he ensured it was prepared if he did. It was not the well-appointed room he had had while the house was still standing, but it would do. Prowl considered starting with what he wanted to do immediately, but it would be easier to simply begin the task and finish it all the same day. There were some things he had not had shipped to Altihex that he wished now to retrieve. He had sent items for his workshop and some furnishings and décor items, as well as his stuffed alloygator.

(Jazz had named the alloygator 'Cronch,' insisting that 'he really looks like a Cronch.' Prowl had been amused and, as he often did, indulged his lover. It was no hardship to indulge Jazz, as he made few demands and was equally willing to indulge Prowl. )

In his former home's vaults, the room Prowl had was small, but it was big enough to contain two cots, one of which had been Venator's. In all this time, Prowl had never put it away. It was not in memoriam as much as Prowl had not bothered because he had not needed the space. He had not, after all, been here very often. Truth to tell, near the end of his time as a nomad, recharging in a bed had begun to feel strange, given how used he'd become to recharging in alt in the wilds. The things he hunted had largely moved away from the cities and into rural areas or deeper into the planet where hotels or inns were uncommon.

Prowl sat down on his cot and shut his optics off, relaxing into the meditative state. He was deep enough underground that he could not comm Jazz using his onboard systems. Even if the house's systems had been functional, they weren't compatible with modern ones. Prowl would have to sleep without the comfort of his lover's presence tonight. He could practically hear Jazz saying, 'just another reason you should hurry back to me, lover.'

Prowl certainly agreed.

He eventually managed to sleep but woke up early and began his search through the storage vaults. In addition to what he wanted for himself, there were some texts here that Glyph would appreciate. Prowl wanted some of the teaching texts as well. Jazz could not wield magic, but there might be something here Prowl could adapt to aid him in his studies anyway.

As part of sharing each other's interests and skills, Jazz was trying to teach Prowl to play guitar, with middling success. Prowl grasped and manipulated magic easily, it had always been second nature to him, but musical talent was not inherent for him in the same way. It would take work and practice. In any event, he far preferred to listen to Jazz.

In the end, Prowl took a large number of datapads and another box of mementos, belonging to Venator, that he found among the shelves on his Master's side of the room where he slept. It had been tucked far back, further sheltered from the elements and Prowl opened it, curious to see what it held.

A sheet of writing foil was carefully rolled into a scroll and contained in a glassteel tube. Prowl slipped it free and unrolled it, revealing it to be Venator's notification that he had been approved to mentor a newspark. The date he was to present himself was Prowl's sparking date, and Prowl smiled, carefully rolling it back up and storing it. A handful of image captures was in the box as well, some of mecha Prowl didn't recognize, and some he did. The ones he did were mecha that he knew to have been Venator's lovers at one time or another. Two image captures were in sturdy frames, etched with glyphs. In one, Prowl recognized the mecha in it as Venator's creators, killed in one of Cybertron's wars long before Prowl had been sparked. The other was one of Venator and Prowl, a candid shot where Venator had his arm around Prowl's shoulders looking at him with pride and Prowl was smiling warmly at his mentor. Prowl could not remember the event itself, but it was a good image. He was pleased with the thought of sharing it with Jazz and placed it back in the box, making sure everything was wrapped as he found it. He tucked the box into his subspace along with the other items he wished to transport personally.

Prowl moved the rest of the items he wanted into a more accessible area of the catacombs and contacted the same discreet company he'd used before. They did not move things exclusively for wizards, of course, but they did ask no questions. Prowl hadn't moved everything to the Altihex house, just enough to seem normal, since then he'd still been thinking of this place as home, even if it was no longer a complete building. But the word 'home' now brought up thoughts of the townhouse in Altihex, of his cluttered and comfortable workshop, and of a kind and caring musician who loved Prowl with his whole spark.

Prowl had had several lovers before Jazz, but in all his long life, there had never before been someone he wanted to give his own spark to, and so he had never merged sparks with someone. He was not entirely ready yet, but Prowl was quite sure the time was coming when he would merge with Jazz. The life Prowl had now was not the life he had ever pictured for himself as a young mech, living in this now-fallen house, but he would not trade it for anything.

Prowl had spent most of his life as a nomad, moving from place to place, following the traces of creatures that left pain and damage in their wake. He used his magic to protect his fellow Cybertronians. He knew how to exist in the cities and the villages, the tundra and the temperate zones alike. He had successfully defended himself against anything that had attacked him and found ways to survive without access to processed energon. He had spent deca-cycles, even meta-cycles, without speaking to anyone and come out of the wilderness still sane. It wasn't till he'd left Jazz in the house on the edge of the Limbranite Tundra that he'd really felt how lonely that life had become. Prowl had wanted to go back to the house right away, but they had both just experienced a significant change in their world. Whatever might happen between them in that then-uncertain future, they each needed to go into it with a clear head. Prowl had meditated on pursuing a relationship with Jazz for a long time, wanting to be sure his attraction was genuine. He didn't want to cleave to Jazz simply because the younger mech had been there when Prowl's old life had ended, and Jazz was serving as some symbol of that change.

Still, when Prowl had found the antique sheet music, he had not been able to resist sending it to Jazz, even though he knew it could only be interpreted as a courting gift. He'd hoped it would be accepted as such because he had accepted by then that he genuinely wanted Jazz.

He hadn't warned Jazz ahead of time when he'd finally headed to Altihex, sure of his own mindset but uncertain of Jazz's. The fact that his hotel had poltergeists in the basement was a thing to be dealt with later; they were doing little enough harm and would be easy enough to banish. Prowl had found Jazz's room listed in the student directory and had simply followed a group of security-careless students into the dorm. He hadn't known what to say and decided to keep it simple.

_"Hello, Jazz. How are you?"_

The few nano-kliks between the words leaving his lips and Jazz's response had felt so long. Prowl had done his best to memorize the handsome face in case Jazz ended up rejecting him after all.

_"Clearheaded," Jazz said, and Prowl was immediately delighted that Jazz had remembered his words._

That delight had given way to quite another kind when Jazz kissed him. It had been such a long time since Prowl had been kissed, he had not expected one so soon from Jazz, and he returned it eagerly. Such intimate contact had become unfamiliar over the stellar-cycles, and Prowl had longed for more, but – slowly, he'd reminded himself. He had to go slowly. He still wanted to be sure his desire was genuine and not merely a reaction to change.

Of course, then Jazz had kept on changing his life. Jazz's sensitivity to magic was intriguing, his gentle understanding attractive, his empathy a most valuable trait. He was intelligent, talented, and sure of himself, already capable and still willing to learn. Every time Prowl thought he couldn't love his musician more, Jazz proved him wrong.

Prowl spent a second night on the cot, then sealed the room again. This was no longer home, but it did not mean it might not be useful again in the future.

Once he was done here, Prowl had meant to travel to a few favoured areas in the region before heading home. He had thought he might need that to say goodbye to his former life, but he no longer felt that. Driving here, packing up the vaults, that had proved to be enough. He did not even feel the need to drive back to Altihex, going into Nova Cronum and booking passage on a transport instead. He thought about contacting Jazz, but the mech would be in class, and a message would only distract him all day. He did try to contact Jazz as he approached their side of Altihex but received only a message that Jazz was out of contact for the night. That was hardly surprising since Jazz was working, and he wasn't expecting Prowl home for several cycles. Prowl could have left a message, but he thought Jazz might enjoy the surprise of finding him home early.

He was proven correct when Jazz came home late that night and heard Prowl, alerted by the house's systems, coming down the ramps to greet him.

"Prowler?" Jazz called out in delight, and Prowl came swiftly down the ramp and let his lover catch him close. "Oh, baby! I missed you!" He kissed Prowl, eager and sweet. "Not that I'm not happy to be wrong, but I thought you were going to be gone longer? Drive around, drive back home a different route than you took out?"

"I was," Prowl admitted. "I began to, but…it was no longer necessary. I took a transport back to Altihex. That is not my life any longer and," he paused, looking into Jazz's optic, and smiled tenderly. "I wanted my home."

Jazz smiled, recognizing Prowl did not mean being in their house and pressed their forehelms together. "Prowler, gorgeous. I kinda love you a whole lot, you know that?"

"I do know," Prowl answered, spark spinning happily. "I love you too."

"A whole lot," Jazz repeated and kissed Prowl again, regarding him thoughtfully when he pulled back. "How're you feeling now, babe?" he asked.

Prowl thought about it, seeking a way to explain how he felt in words. "I feel…settled. It is – what I needed to do is done."

Jazz nodded and locked his arms around Prowl's waist. "I'm glad you got what you were looking for, love. I'm glad you're home, too."

One of Jazz's instrument cases was leaning up against the wall. On the hall table were some of the small items brought back as souvenirs from their Crystal City journey. In the living room, behind Jazz, datapads of greatly varying ages sat on a low table, and Jazz's favourite cushion was askew on the couch because Prowl hadn't been there to straighten it. There were no abandoned drinks because Jazz had been there to put them away. Downstairs, Prowl's workshop and kitchen waited, and upstairs were the study and Jazz's music room, as well as their room. It was a mix of them both, and it was perfect.

Prowl smiled warmly at his darling, feeling utterly content. "So am I."

* * *

Jazz had had to promise some favours to his bandmates and a friend of his to get his spot covered for one night, but it was worth it. It was the anniversary of – well, not the day he and Prowl had first met. Prowl had kind of freaked him out at their first meeting and for a little bit after that. Instead, they were celebrating the day after, the day Prowl had banished the wight. It symbolized the changes in their lives better, they both felt, even if they hadn't actually started dating for several deca-cycles after that. Jazz hadn't stopped thinking about Prowl, wondering when he was going to see the wizard again. They might not have been together-together, but they were definitely connected. Then Prowl had finally shown up, and they hadn't really been apart since.

"What else do you want to do tomorrow?" Jazz asked Prowl as he disconnected from confirming their dinner reservations. Prowl was sitting on the couch in the living room with Jazz sprawled out, head on Prowl's thigh. "We've got reservations, tickets for that play, gonna take a drive through the park, and I'm looking forward to it all, but is there anything you want to add?"

Prowl's fingers drifted gently over Jazz's bumper, slipped up the invisible seam of his chest plates. "Is there something you had in mind?"

Jazz took Prowl's hand and flattened it against his hood, over his spark. "Well…I think you've got a question you want to ask, and if you're ready, I've got an answer for you, one you're gonna want to hear."

"I do," Prowl acknowledged, smiling. "But do you truly need me to ask? You seem quite certain."

Jazz lifted Prowl's hand to his lips and kissed it, then sat up so he could look at his lover's face. "Oh, I am, but you know me: I like to hear the words. Especially for something as important as this."

"I know," Prowl said. "And you are right." He took Jazz's hands into his. "Jazz, my love, I want to know your very spark: tomorrow night, in celebration of our anniversary, will you merge with me?"

Jazz had been expecting the question, and he _was_ ready to answer it, but he still got a nervous, eager, little flutter in his spark when Prowl actually asked it.

"Yes, baby," Jazz said, seeing Prowl's optics brighten with joy, "I will." He kissed Prowl tenderly, then almost shyly admitted, "I've never merged before, though. It's hard to screw up, right?"

"I imagine so," Prowl said thoughtfully. "I've never merged with anyone."

"What? I mean…" There had been mecha Prowl'd loved before Jazz or at least relationships he'd had previously. Plus, Prowl was way older than Jazz. It was surprising to hear there was something he _hadn't_ done.

"I've never wanted to before," Prowl explained.

"Not ever?" Jazz was still surprised. "With anyone?"

"No." Prowl's optics went soft and affectionate, and Jazz just knew he was in for one of those super-romantic things Prowl said that the wizard insisted were 'merely truthful.' "No one else was you."

"Prowler…" Jazz just had to kiss him after that and felt his lover smiling into the kiss. "You keep saying stuff like that," he murmured, "there's gonna be a whole lot more anniversaries, y'know. Hundreds. Thousands. We're gonna lose count."

Prowl smiled again, looking into Jazz's visor. "I'm looking forward to it, dearest."

* * *

Usually, Jazz and Prowl made sure that they could evenly split whatever expenses they had, made more straightforward by Prowl owning the house outright. But for their anniversary, Jazz had agreed to let Prowl spoil him a little bit and take him to an upscale restaurant. Glaze was one of those places that Jazz walked by and could've maybe afforded an appetizer at every few orbital cycles if he saved a bit. Prowl had mostly just not spent his money over the centuries but also had a knack for investing and was very well off as a result. That made the financial gap between them pretty wide since Jazz was still a student and only worked occasionally. To even things out, they shared expenses based on what Jazz could afford half of. Today was special, though, and letting Prowl treat them once in a long while wouldn't hurt anything.

Jazz had to say, though, Glaze was worth the price. He and Prowl were given a table for two in a corner clearly designed for couples. Prowl held his hand across the table while they were waiting, stroking Jazz's knuckles with his thumb and smiling tenderly at him. Secluded corner or not, it was probably really super obvious that they were helm over wheels for over each other – not that Jazz cared who knew it. Throughout the play, a revival of a classic drama that Jazz had suggested because he thought Prowl would like it, the wizard kept holding his hand. It turned out that Prowl did like the play, having seen a performance of it many vorns before. He'd wanted to see it again and was pleased that Jazz knew him so well.

Jazz was going to know Prowl a whole lot better before the night was out, too, and that thought kept pleasantly distracting him through the whole date. Every nano-klik brought them closer to merging their sparks, and Jazz couldn't stop thinking about it. He still enjoyed himself, knowing from waiting to interface with Prowl that anticipation only made it sweeter for them both. Still, when Prowl paused their drive through the park to draw Jazz into the shadow of a crystal and kiss him, Jazz wasn't going to complain.

"I'm having a wonderful evening, dearest," Prowl murmured, arms wrapped around Jazz's waist.

"Yeah, me too," Jazz said, rubbing little circles on the back of Prowl's neck with the fingers of one hand. "Always love being with you, babe."

"Are you enjoying the drive through the park?"

"Mmm, yeah," Jazz said, deliberately teasing. "Why? Not your thing tonight?"

"I do enjoy being out in nature," Prowl, who'd spent vorns wandering Cybertron's wilds, said, "though it does lack the appeal of sharing a home with you."

"Asking to go home, lover?"

"I can't stop thinking of merging with you. If you want to continue as planned – "

"Prowl," Jazz interrupted gently. "I want that too. C'mon, we'll finish up the drive by heading homeward through the park, and then…" It was happening, really about to happen, and Jazz had to reset his vocalizer to finish. "Then I'm gonna share my spark with you."

Prowl's optics darkened with desire, and he kissed Jazz again, passionately enough that Jazz would've almost been willing to open up and merge right there. Almost. The thought of falling asleep in Prowl's arms post-merge was just way too tempting. Besides, if this went the way Jazz thought it would, neither mech would be in any shape to move afterwards.

The house lights came on as soon as its systems detected its inhabitants crossing the threshold. As they approached their bedroom, Jazz saw a golden glow had replaced its normal lighting.

Prowl had talked of setting the mood for this, and Jazz had figured low lights, maybe a little soft music. Prowl had done that, and more. He'd set small votive-style lights around the room and hung swaths of delicate crystals that shivered and chimed at the slightest movement above the bed. Indicators on the headboard showed he'd used a timer to set the bed to warm. There was music playing at a low volume, slow and romantic. It hadn't been on when they'd left, and there hadn't been a specific time they'd be home, so everything must have been set to turn on when they entered the house.

"Wow," Jazz said, impressed. "Prowler, this is gorgeous."

"I wanted it to be special," Prowl said, sounding a little shy. "I thought – well."

"It is special," Jazz said, taking his lover into his arms. "It's perfect. Thank you, lover."

"Anything for you, my dearest." Prowl stroked his cheek gently. "Are you nervous?"

"Little bit, yeah," Jazz admitted, nuzzling against Prowl's fingers. "You?"

"Yes," Prowl said honestly. "I thought I would never have this. That perhaps I did not have a spark-mate or that I would never encounter them if I did. I had accepted it, and then – " He kissed Jazz lovingly. "Then, there was you."

"Prowler…" Jazz fairly melted into his arms.

They hadn't shared sparks before, but they knew very well how to make love to each other. This was familiar territory, but that made it no less special, no less tender.

"Prowl," Jazz whispered, lying under Prowl when they were cabled together and looking up at his lover's softly lit optics. Prowl was twined deep into his systems, just as Jazz was in his, their chest plates had unlocked, and everything was open between them save one thing.

"Now, my darling, yes."

Jazz sent the command to open his spark chamber, feeling it spiral open for the first time since it had been installed in his structure. The light from Prowl's spark was clear, icy blue, bright and cool, blending with the warmer pale golden glow of Jazz's. The leaders from their sparks were already reaching for each other.

"…oh…" Jazz breathed.

"I love you," Prowl murmured and brought their sparks together.

Afterward, Jazz couldn't have given any kind of detailed description of his first spark merge. There was just…just _Prowl_ , calm and steady and wise, surrounding Jazz with his love and devotion. Jazz opened up to him even more, giving Prowl all of himself, every part, and it wasn't anything _like_ surrender; it was a _gift_.

The overload went on and on until their sparks finally settled, receded, and they were able to pull apart, panting. Prowl's optics were wide, and the wizard was trembling. Jazz felt pretty shaky himself.

"Jazz," Prowl said, voice awed.

"Yeah," Jazz said, dazed. "Yeah, Prowl…"

"I – I want – "

"Yes!" Jazz caught Prowl into another kiss, pulling him closer, and they merged again and again throughout the night, finally falling exhausted into recharge when they couldn't sustain anymore.

* * *

Prowl woke in the morning, languid and satisfied, his handsome darling still sleeping peacefully in his arms. Prowl was content to lie there and spend the time just watching and loving him.

"Good morning, beloved," Prowl said when Jazz's visor slowly powered on.

"Mmm." Jazz nuzzled Prowl's chest, then stretched up and gave him a proper good morning kiss. "Morning, baby."

"How do you feel?"

Jazz hummed and kissed Prowl again, dotted kisses over his cheek and jaw. "Like I spent the night making love and merging with my gorgeous spark-mate."

Prowl smiled up into Jazz's optics. "What a lucky mech."

"Yeah," Jazz said softly. "Yeah, I am. Love you so much, Prowler." He put a hand on Prowl's chest, over his spark chamber, and the wizard covered it with his own. "Here's to year two, love."


End file.
